President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi vowed to hold those responsible for the deadly Cairo Railway Station accident, which killed 22 people and injured 40 others, adding that the armed forces as well as other state institutions will cooperate in order to develop the railway system in Egypt.

During his speech at the 30th symposium of the armed forces on the occasion of the Martyr’s Day, Al-Sisi announced the appointment of the Head of the Engineering Authority for the Armed Forces, Major General Kamel Al-Wazir, as the new Minister of Transportation replacing former Minister Hisham Arafat who resigned after the train accident late February. Al-Sisi also promoted Al-Wazir to Lieutenant General.

The symposium was attended by Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouli; Minister of Defence and Military Production, Mohamed Zaki; House of Representatives Speaker, Ali Abdel Aal; and other senior officials and ministers.

He added that any perpetrators will be legally persecuted, noting that the newly issued Civil Service Law will regulate the behaviour of employees in terms of drug using.

“It is not right for employees to take drugs especially if they are responsible for peoples’ lives,” the president said, adding that employees will undergo medical tests and whoever was found taking illegal drugs will be persecuted and dismissed from work.

The danger of negligence is more dangerous than terrorism. “We will not accept individual mistakes to kill dozens of Egyptians like what happened in the Cairo Railway Station.” He stressed that he doesn’t fear external dangers, but dangers from within.

Al-Sisi also said that the state is planning to inaugurate the newly developed railway system on 30 June 2020. “We have installed electronic traffic lights, and we signed contracts to buy 1,300 railway carriages and 200 locomotives.”

He added that Egypt aims to exchange its experience in developing the railway infrastructure with African countries.

Terrorism aims to spread doubt among civilians, the president said, adding that “we are able to counter foreign challenges, as long as the home front is intact.”

“The increase of rumours will not affect conscious Egyptians,” he said, pointing out that “Egypt has restored its role and position in the international scene.”

During the speech, the president also said that the Egyptian state did not hurt any citizens in the 2011 Mohamed Mahmoud protests.

The incident saw dozens killed during clashes between protesters and security forces, as reported by state regulated fact-finding committee at the time.

The president also said that he ordered the formation of a documentation committee to document all the incidents that took place in 2011, 2012, and 2013, “so everyone can learn how states fail.”

Al-Sisi announced the appointment of the Head of the Engineering Authority for the Armed Forces, Major General Kamel Al-Wazir and promoted him to Lieutenant General